You Better Think (think)

Three thought experiments on a Saturday night.

Thought experiment I:  Hillary is elected in November ’16 & then proceeds, for months, to make ludicrous, inflammatory, and plain-old guano-infused nonsensical comments online and at public and private events.  How many Democrats within and outside of the Beltway would be saying it’s time to give VP and harmonica-enthusiast Tim-Bo a shot at the Big Chair?  I would wager far more Democrats than the number of non-alternate reality feckless GOPers who can barely manage to give America’s unhinged Chief Executive even a mild side-eye. 

Thought experiment II:  If our country had a parliamentary form of government, would Trump have made it this long?  As weak as he really is, I personally believe that Republican back-benchers would have ousted him a couple of months ago, just like Thatcher was bounced by a Tory revolt in ’90.   

Thought experiment III: A hurricane devastates Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and ANY of the other 2016 presidential candidates, Democratic or Republican, resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.  How would they be faring in terms of relief and recovery efforts for our fellow Americans: better or worse than the current occupant of the Oval Office?

In solidarity.

So What's Next? '16/'18 Edition

Now that Maryland’s 2016 Primary Election is in the firm and unforgiving grasp of the past, shrewd Howard County political observers are now focused on the Long Slog to the General Election…not only for the importance it has in and of itself, but also as a harbinger for 2018 (and beyond).

At the precinct level, there were some quirky voting patterns evident in the 2014 returns.  Were they the by-product of a weak Democratic gubernatorial candidate? Second presidential term, mid-term fatigue with the party that holds the White House?  A local Republican Party that is showing signs of life in not just the West but in the swing First County Council district and generally reliably Democratic Columbia?  Was 2014 a once in a decade (or generation) event, or a sign of votes to come?

Thought experiment.  Trump is so idiosyncratic, it would be difficult to construe a Trump victory in Howard County in November to mean that we are on the precipice of a local liberal/conservative realignment.  Even if he obtained a majority of the local vote, and managed to win election to the Presidency, Trump would have plenty of time between January 20, 2017 and November 2018 to completely wreck the GOP brand.  In such a scenario, the over/under for County Executive Allan Kittleman to call for a 2020 primary challenge to the Donald would be June 30, 2018.  But I am getting ahead of myself.

That said, with the County Exec up for re-election, multiple state legislative and Board of Education races of interest, and four open County Council seats in the ’18 cycle, you better believe that local operatives, activists, and power brokers will spend many chilly November nights pouring over the ’16 Official General Election Results data, searching for portents that will inform their decision-making processes.  

Amidst all of this uncertainty, all we can rely upon is mercurial human nature itself. 

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Homework

With the Howard County Board of Education Primary Election fast approaching, I decided to refocus from a one-on-one verbal question and answer session to a written homework assignment.

Here are the rules:

1) Only the 11 current Board of Education candidates can respond to these questions.
2) The responses are due by 8 pm Eastern, March 14, 2016.
3) The answers should be emailed to: jasonabooms@gmail.com.
4) I reserve the right to quote, and attribute, your responses as part of a future blog post.

Here are the questions:

1) Thought experiment. Much is made of the Board of Education acting as a collaborative body, but it is one comprised of unique individuals with different backgrounds, perspectives, and talents.  With that in mind...

What if you can replace, immediately, all of the other board members with clones of yourself.  Assuming you can work collaboratively with your other selves, what specifically would you want to accomplish in the next two years? In the next four?

2a) If you are an incumbent:  Why should we trust you with another four year term?

2b) If you are a challenger:  Why should we trust you with a four year term?

3) What is the single biggest dysfunction impacting the Board and how can it be resolved over the course of the next four years?

4) The HCPSS lists , among a set of “guiding principles,” the following:

“Fostering a culture of collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility” (source: http://www.hcpss.org/about-us/)

Thinking about the past four years, Please provide one example of how the Board advanced that principle and one example of how the Board acted in a manner that ran counter to that principle.  Please elaborate on both examples.

I look forward to receiving your responses.  

Stay tuned, as more will follow.